Door for automobile bodies



Yso

Reiuee Mu. 20, 1928.

UNTED srrA'r-:s

PATI-;NT oFFcE.

J'YOSEPIHIV'LEDWINKA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENSYLVANIA, ASSIG'NOR 'I'O EDWARD G.

BUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELYHIA, PENNSYLVANI, A. COB- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

i noon ron AUroMoBILn :B onns.

Original ma 1,644,680, dated October 11, 1927, Serial No. 738,345, filed September 18, 1924. i Application 'for 'eisaue filed November 3,

This' invention relates to doors for lautomobile bodies.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved door structure for automobile bodies, and particularly a door structure for bodiesvof the closed type, to secure strength and rigidity, while at the same time reducing the weight of the door.

A further object is to provide a door for automobile bodies wherein a window or glass pane slides vertically in guides formed in the sides of the door frame so as to be raised to cover the upper open part of the door frame, or lowered into a closed pocket in the lower part of the door frame and wherein a minimum of width of the sides of the door frame is employed so as to increase to a maximum the range of vision from the interior of the body.

' Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, I and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In thedrawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in Jelevation' of the inner side or face of a door construoted in accordance with my invention. i

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are broken detail views in section on the lines 2-2, 3-3, H, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, respectively, of F g. 1.

In automobile bodies, and particularly bodies of the closed type, it is a common L practice to employ doors the upper part of which is left open to be occupied by a slid-` ing glass ,pane when the body is to be closed,

which glass pane is lowered into a pocket in the lower part of the door when itlis desired to leave the body open for ventilation or otherwise. The purpose of providingA the glass pane vto fill the opening in the upper part of ,the door when the body is closed up is to enable the occupant of the closedbody to see through the pane. In em'ployng .a sliding glass pane forthe purpose referred, to 't is neces'sar to construct the door frame wi h side mem rs having tracks or guidewa s therein to receive the side edges of the pano. It is also desirable that the door frame.

1927. Serial NO. 231,399.

door'frame be 'made strong, sturdy and rigid, partcularly n the upper part thereof, so as to enable the door to stand the shock of the slams and jar's', and the stresses and strains "to WhichI the doors are subjected when in use. This necessity for securing strength and rgdity in the upper part of the door frame is particularly important in doors! for yclosed bodies not only because the upper part ,of such frames is open but also because these cial purposes of my present invention to provide adoor structure for closed automobilel bodies Which is not only light in weight, but

is also strong, rigid and sturdy while at the Sametime their/ange of vision of persons -ocoupymg the cio'sedbody is not materially interfered with by the side members of the In carry-ing out my invention, I propose to employ side door frame structures, which are of minimum .width but which,X at the same' time are'of such formation as to secure the desired degree of strength and rigidity.

In the drawings I have shown a] door for a closed automobile body, wherein the upper ,part 10 of tho door frame is left open toy receive a sliding window 'pane 11, when raised out of a pocket formed 'in the lower part 'of the door by the inner and outer anels 12, 13. The door frame consists o an outer main side rail ,14 at the free edge of the door, which isa metal stampingof generally double angle shape in cross section extending the full lengthl of the door. The

inner panel 12 for the ,lower part of the door may, if desired, be stamped out integrally with the lower part of the side rail 14, and

site sides of the door. This inner panel at the hinge edge of the door is formed into a channel and terminates in a lateral edge flange 15, (se'e Fig. 6) which lies in the'same vertical plane with a lateral edge flange 16, which forms the terminal edge for the opposite side 'of said panel. (See Fig. 7.) The outer panel 13 is flanged at its vertical'side edges, over the flanges 15, 16, as indicated at 17 in F igs. 6 and 7, and'by reason of the double angle formation of the edges of the inner panel, or of the door frame side rail member 14, the two panels 12, 13 are oifset from each other to form a pocket between them into which the window pane is lowered, when not required for use in its raised osition. The side rails 14, and the hinge side edge portion of the inner panel 12 are formed with vertical extensions 18, 19, (see Figs. 4 and which respectively constitute portions of the upper part of the door frame at opposite side edges of the door. Likewise the outer panel 13 is formed with vertically vextend-ing portions 20, 21, at the side edges thereof. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) Theseportions 20, 21, are flanged over the edge flanges .15, 16, of the vertically extending portions of the inner panel 12. At their inner vertical edges the outer panel extensions 20, 21, are formed with flanges 22, 23, which are engaged by edge flanges 24, of reinforcing strips 26, 27, which are secured to the extensions 18, 19 of the inner panel 12. These reinforcingstri 26, 27 which are 'substantially of simp e Z section are provided with angles 28, 29 which form with the strips 26, 27, respectivcly, guides or glass run channels for the edges of the glass pane 11. 'Any suitable means (not shown) may be used to secure the reinforcing strip 27 in spaced relation toI the extension 19, this space, as is best shown in Fig. 5, being provided for the accommodation of the upper door hinge (not shown).

At its lower edge the outer panel is flanged Y'over a bottom edge flange 30 of the inne` panel 12, as shown at 31 in Fig. 8.

The extreme upper ends of the side rail structures of the door frameare connected by a tie rail 32, (see Fig. 3), which is a stamping formed into channel shape at its outer edge. Over this channel is engaged a channel shaped outer rail stamping 33, to which is connected an angle shaped stamping 34, which forms a top stop for the glass pane when in its raised position.

At its upper edge the outer panel 13' is formed with a lateral flange 35, and the corresponding edge of the inner panel 12 is provided with an oppositely presenting flange 36, (see Fig. 2). A top rail 37 in the form of an angle ,sha ed stamping is applied to the flang'e'if, t e spacing. relation of the flanges 35, 36, being such as to provide for the movement of the glass panev between them when raised and lowered, the angle stamping 37 forming a guide for said pane.

If desired, and in order to reduce the.

yweight of the door, the inner panel 12 may be cut out centrally, as indicated at 38, Fig. 1, the inner surface of this panel being ordinarily covered over by a trim or upholstery.

A door structure such as above described avoids the objections and secures the advantages and benefits above 'described. It is not only light in `weight but it is strong, rigid and sturdy and capable of wthstanding the stresses, strains, shocks and jars of usage, and of still greater importance, the side frame structure for the upper open part of the door is very narrow and hence does not materially interfere withthe range of vision of occupants of the car.

Having set forth the objects of my invention and a structure embodying the principles thereof, I wish it to be understood that many changes in the s ecific details of the structures might readi y occur to persons skilled in the art and still fall in the scope and spiritzxof my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a door rail for closed body vehicles, an angle member, one branch of said angle member constituting the outer overlap of the door and the other branch of said member constituting the Vertical edge thereof, a Z-shaped member for reinforcing the upper length of said angle member, said Z-shaped 4 member having a main body web and an inwardly extending arin at one side of said web secured to said angle member, and a second angle member having one branch thereof secured to said inwardly extending arm of said Z member whereby to form a glass run channel between said web and the other branch of said second angle member. 2. In a door rail for closed body vehicles,

a double angle member having one portion thereof constituting the outer overlap of the door and another portion thereof constituting the edge of the door, a Z member 'having a portion thereof joined to said second mentioned portion and a main web at right angles thereto, and an agle member having one branch thereof secured to said Z member whereby to form a glass run channel between the main web of said Z member and the other branch of said angle member. 3. In a door for closed bo'dy vehicles, an outer panel, an inner panel, vertically extending anglev members at the sides of the inner panel and formed integral therewith to constitute the lower section of the door rails, said'angle members projecting a substantial distance .above the upper ends of said panels to form the upper section of the door rails, Z-shapedimembers each having an arm secured to a branch of the upper section of each door rail, and panel strips' each having a portion secured to 'the other lol) 'body prising a main arms vof said Z members'and flanged overthe other branches of said anglevmembers, said panel strips being joined to the said outer panel at the lower ends thereof.

4. In a door for closed vehicle. bodies, a unitary sheet metal stamping forming the inner panel of the door below the ;window opening and the laterally extendin jamb face portions together with outer peripheral extending laterally fromfsaid jamb face portions' constituting door rail struct'res at the sides of the door extending from the bottom to the top of the door.

5. A door rail for closed vehicle bodies, comprising a main transversely extending body portion of Web cross section' and a reinforcing member of s'ubstantially angular section forming a portion of the glass run channel and having one of its larms secured directly to the body web of the rail intermediate the edges of said body Web and another arm being extended and joined to the main outer edge of the main body portion of the rail to form a closed box section structure.

6. A door rail for closed vehicle bodies comprising a member of web cross section having a main body extending transversely ofthe door and an outer laterally extending flange, and a member of substantially anguf lar section forming a portion of the glass run channel and secured through one arm against the inside ly extending main body portion of the rail, another arm being extended and secured to the laterally extendingflange of the main member of the rail and providing the outer finish of the door rail.

7. A door rail structure for closed vehicle doors comprising in its upper portion a main transversely extending body of Web cross section and sheet metal means forming with said main body a box section structure of a width not substantially exceeding the depth of the glass run channel.

8. A door rail structure for closed vehicle body doors embodying a glass run and comcro ss section arranged at right angles to the plane of the window, and a lateral flange at the outer edge of said web portion, and sheet metal means forming with said main body a box section structure and secured to the main body, respectively, along said fla'nge and at the base of the glass run.

9. A door rail structure for closed vehicle bodies comprising a main transversely extending portion of web cross section forming the jamb face of the door, -a glass run applied directly to the inner face of said portion and an outer paneling portion join- 'ceeding the aggregate of embodying surface ofssaid transversea transverse body having a portion. of Web ing the outer edge of the transversely extendin portion and aside ofthe lass run.

10. door rail structure for c osed ve- 'hicle body doors comprising in its upper versely extending body and along its opposite edge' to. the main transverselv' ex-' tending body inwardly of said-shoulder andforming withl said main body' a box section structure of agwidth not substantially exthe depth of the glass run and the width of said shoulder.

11. A door rail structure for closed vehicle body doors comprising two members Z section portions, connected together through. two adjacent arms of the Zis and having the webs of the 'Z,s extending in opposite directions, one of the Zis forming a portion of the glass run.

12. A top rail structure for closed vehicle body doors comprising two inwardly pre? senting channel members secured in nested relation, the inner channel being of less width than the outer andL having one of its side walls extending inwardly.

13. A top rail structure for closed vehicle body doors comprising two inwardly presentingj-channels secured in nested relation, the inner 'channel being of less width than the outer, and the channels each having one of their side walls extended inwardly and one of' the extensions' beingv turned over against the other and secured thereto, whereby to form a box section structure.

14. A metal door railfor the doors of closed vehicle bodies of a length extendin from the top to the bottom of the door and embodying a main transversely extending portion of Web cross section, and an outer door overlap flange and a glass run disposed directl a ainst the inner surface of said y ig y extending portion vof the rail and secured thereto.

15'. A metal rail structure for vehicle doors extending from the top -to the bottom of the door and having a main trans-, versely extending body porton of Web cross 'section and a lateral flange at the outer edge of said transversely extending'body portion,

jthe inner edge portion of said body portion being disposed substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the door above the bottom of the window 'opening and extended substantially parallel to the planeof the,l door below .said window opening.

JosEPH LEDWINKA. 

